Tools we should all have.

Alrighty, first off, I think this topic could help a good number of people, both new to making such curiousities as we are wont to do, and those that are old hands at it. Now that that's out of the way:

Where I used to live, I had access to just about every tool imaginable (benefits of living in an area surrounded by farms while not having farm yourself. And having several relatives who were craftsmen of all sorts), but I was never much into the making aspect of steampunk.

And then I moved to where I currently reside, and I have a severe lack of tools, and I'm starting to get into the making side of our community.

So my problem, my fellows, is that I'm kind of at a loss of the tools I should aquire, other than the basics (hammer, drill, saw, etc.) I know that I need to get a ballpeen hammer, a better saw, a soldering iron, and something with which to cut metal, but what else do you folks think is an "essential" tool of steampunk?

pop rivets
or rapid rivets, whatever you would like to call them.
Along with a pop rivet anvil and setter.

blow torch, vise, bolt cutter, good set of files, tube benders for various sizes, glass cutter, drill, dremel, huge fan to put in the window for ventilation

Imagination. That's the greatest tool you could have.

I'm going to put in a vote for pliers. You'll want at least two pairs for both more delicate work than your fingers allow for or holding things firmer than you can with your fingers by themselves.

I have my eye out for an anvil at present, too, but ultimately it depends what materials you want to work with, and what you want to do with them.
As Armored-Rah says, imagination is by far the most useful thing you posess.

From knowing what you want to do you will soon find out what you require to do it with. From there skill follows through practice, and from there you're already flying.

I use these for cutting metal:

They are just called metal cutters, or metal snips or metal scissors or something generic and un-imaginative

Also I strongly advise several pairs of pliers! A crappy pair you dont mind getting ruined, a pair with a pointy precision end and a needle nose pair.

Note: this is what needle nose pliers look like;


Not this:

You see, that one is not nearly thin and pointy enough!

A Leatherman or similar quality pocket multitool. I carry the leatherman Wave, and I use it almost daily. You'll never be able to go without carrying one once you have carried for a while.

Oh, and go for a name brand like leatherman, I've had several cheapies, and the difference in quality is dramatic. a Leatherman is definitely worth the few extra bucks.


Great pliers, sharp knives, small and large screw drivers, files, sharp scissors, wire cutters etc....

It depends entirely on what sort of "making" you are going to do.

For myself I do a fair bit of leatherwork and so I think it is essential to have...

A good boxcutter/Utility knife
A swivel knife
Rivet setters (of various kinds, including snap setters)
A steel rule (or better several of different lengths)
A set square
A mallet (or a maul, or multiples of different weights)
A granite slab
Punches (lots of different sizes)
stitching groovers (one free hand, one adjustable)
All sorts of stamps (Several bevellers, some backgrounders and a couple of undercut bevellers at a minimum. Shaders, seeders, veiners and cams are all useful too)
Needles, thread and a sharp awl

Also useful but not essential,...
A skiver (The one thing on this list that I don't have yet, I use a utility knife)
Edge beveler(s)
Adjustable gouge
Bone folder

And that's just a basic set up... Of course you can get away with a lot less. At a minimum you probably want the utility knife and some kind of implement for pressing the leather in like a spoon handle.

Generally speaking if you have some way of cutting the material then with just a few basic tools you can bend and shape it... It might not be as easy or as professional looking but it can be done.

As for regular tools I carry a Gerber Radius multi-tool, a bunch of screw drivers (about 20 bits) and I can usually deal with what I need to in an emergency.

Z.

Oh fiddlesticks! How could I forget a trusty swiss army knife or multi tool!

On the multitool thread: I went through several before I settled on the leatherman wave. among the many, I had a small gerber (clutch), and another leatherman (the juice). the gerber eventually had the torqx screws loosen, and since i don't have a torqx driver set, I wasn't able to use it anymore (the knife blade just flapped wildly). The leatherman juice was great, it was pretty small for everyday pocket carry, but I decided I need a locking blade. I've folded way too many knife blades on my fingers when trying to pry or puncture something with them (you'd think I'd learn [well I suppose I did learn, in that I now use locking blades]). For me, locking blades are a MUST. the Wave has all locking blades and bits.

Is it true you can't carry locking blades in england? How do any of you have any fingers left?

I can't believe no one said...

GOGGLES!

I too find that a multi-tool is your best friend. I always have at least one on me.

I've found that clamps or a vice of some sort can be the difference between a nice clean attempt at drilling a hole/cutting something and a project wrecking disaster

TehZorch wrote:I've found that clamps or a vice of some sort can be the difference between a nice clean attempt at drilling a hole/cutting something and a project wrecking disaster

Woah, woah, you mean there are people who don't have clamps/vices!?

I suppose that my tool set is not the norm here..

- variable speed Dremel
- camel hair brushes and a dust blower
- screwdriver set - .80 mm, 1.00 mm, 1.20 mm, 1.40 mm, 1.60 mm, and 2.00 mm
- crystal lift
- caseback wrenches
- Rodico (Very Useful Stuff)
- Needle dip oilers and cups
- Misc Pliers - round, chain, needle and flat nose
- couple of needle files
- Loupe and various magnifiers
- Several sets of GOOD tweezers, in various tip styles (#5 seems to be a good all round tweezer)

And a few other odds and ends.. All this fits very nicely into the top desk drawer..

Cheers
Harold

Woah, woah, you mean there are people who don't have clamps/vices!?

Your posting with one! Its difficult to get away with installing a vice when you are renting and dont have a workshop lol